Available online at www.tpa-timisoara.ro Journal of Agroalimentary Processes and Technologies 14 (2008) 133-136 Journal of Agroalimentary Processes and Technologies ________________________________________________________ Corresponding author: e-mail address: cristinasemeniuc@yahoo.com Fatty acids profile of two types of dry dairy products: whole milk powder and infant formula to obtaining Cristina Semeniuc, Mihaela A. Rotar, Camelia Gus, C. Bele, F. Dulf, Sonia Ancuţa Socaci, C. Laslo Agricultural University and Veterinary Medicine, Department Food Science and Technology, Cluj-Napoca, Romania _____________________________________________________ Abstract The purpose of this study was to identify fatty acid profile of dry dairy products. Two types of products were taken in study: whole milk powder with 26% of fat (noted with WMP) and infant formula supplemented with sunflower oil (noted with IF) to obtaining. Fatty acids profile from total lipids was determined by GC-FID. Prior to chromatographic analysis, fatty acids from matrices were transesterified in fatty acids methyl esters (FAMEs). The main fatty acids from the studied oil samples were: oleic, linoleic and palmitic fatty acids. Chromatograms contains major fatty acids from WMP and IF: capric acid (C10:0), lauric acid (C12:0), myristic acid (C14:0), palmitic acid (C16:0), stearic acid (C18:0), oleic acid (C18:1), alpha-linolenic (C18:3). Keywords: fatty acids, whole milk powder, infant formula, gas chromatography _____________________________________________________________________________________ 1. Introduction Whole milk powder is produced industrially by spray drying preconcentrated, heat- treated milk. During this process, water (approximately 87%) is removed, and after drying lactose (approximately 38%) becomes the most abundant component in the dry product together with whey proteins (approximately 4%), caseins (approximately 20%), and milk fat (approximately 26%). (German, 1999). Food lipids are principally triacylgly- cerides, phospholipids and sterols found naturally in most biological materials consumed as food and added as functional ingredients in many processed foods. As nutrients, lipids, especially triglycerides, are a concentrated caloric source, provide essential fatty acids and are a solvent and absorption vehicle for fat-soluble vitamins and other nutrients (Thomsen et al., 2005).Bovine milk contains about 3.5 to 5% total lipid. About 98% or more of the lipid is triacylglycerol, which is found in the globule. Phospholipids are about 0.5 to 1% of total lipids, and sterols are 0.2 to 0.5%. Bovine milk contains substantial quantities of C4:0 to C10:0, about 2% each of C18:2 and trans-C18:1, and almost no other longchain polyunsaturated fatty acids. The triacylglycerol structure is unique, with much of the C4:0 to C10:0 at sn-3 (Jensen, 1991). 2. Materials and methods Samples were taken from plant after obtaining. Whole milk powder was codified with WMP and infant formula with IF. Both products are obtained by drying (to final moisture of 4%) through instantization of evaporated milk (45% dry matter). Infant formula is a supplemented product because beside milk also contain demineralised whey, cream, vegetable oil (sunflower oil), maltodextrine, vitamins and minerals. The FAMEs obtained by transesteri-fication of samples were analyzed by a gas- chromatograph, model SHIMADZU GC- 17-A equipped with a FID detector. The FAMEs were separated using a fused silica capillary column ATWax (25 m x